Vietnamese Beef Stew (Bo Sot Vang)

This post for Vietnamese Beef Stew (bò sốt vang) was created in partnership with Ninja® Cooking System with Auto IQ™. I received complimentary products and compensation to facilitate my review, but all opinions are mine.

The rich aroma of Vietnamese beef stew (bo sot vang) is filling my house. I am so hungry that I could start nibbling on my fingers! But I wont! Thanh, my daughter’s Vietnamese friend sent me this fabulous recipe; it’s one of her favorites, and it’s perfect for the cooler weather . It’s also a variation on a more European style beef stew, which doesn’t come as a surprise given the French influence in Vietnam.

Thank you Thanh for sharing this awesome recipe with me and my readers. What makes this such an awesome appliance is that you can brown the meat with the garlic in stove top mode, add the rest of the ingredients, and then change the setting to a slow cooker. It really makes preparing this dish so much easier.

I am using an amazing appliance to cook my Vietnamese beef stew: Ninja Cooking System with Auto IQ. This is my first time, and I am very excited. This is more than a slow cooker. It has a stove top setting that you can use to saute or sear. It’s also a steamer, and an oven for baking! Yes, you can use it to make certain breads. You can adjust the temperature from 250’F-425’F. Perfect for dry roasting. This machine will make your life so much easier. It’s not only a slow cooker, it’s a multi cooker!

Why Ninja?

Also, compared to traditional slow cookers which only heat from the sides, the Ninja Triple Fusion® heating system brings heat from the bottom and the sides. The result is even heating throughout. The ACCUTEMP control will also help keep an even temperature distribution. And, the 6 quart pot is dishwasher safe. BONUS!!

Now, back to my Vietnamese beef stew (bo sot vang). So, what ingredients give this dish its Vietnamese character? Well, for starters, star anise. You will definitely find star anise in many Asian recipes. Persian, and some Mughal Indian cooking also use star anise to flavor their curries. Now, don’t confuse star anise with anise seed, they’re actually not even related. Star anise tastes a bit like a mild licorice with herbal overtones.

Here’s a short botany lesson:

Star anise is a seed pod from an evergreen native to Asia. It’s been used for over 3,000 years in traditional Chinese medicine. According to ancient medical practices, star anise helps regulate qi(chi) which is the energy in every person. My qi definitely needs improving. Does yours?

Now, here’s a bit of trivia: Star anise is used in Tamiflu, yes, the flu medicine. I didn’t know that until I started doing some research on star anise for this blog post.

Oh so delicious!

Now, that my Vietnamese beef stew (bò sốt vang) is ready, and my house smells so gloriously good, it’s time to dig in. I am serving it with banh mi or bánh mì. My daughter who lives in Vietnam told me that the word banh mi is the generic Vietnamese word for bread. Actually banh means bread and mi means wheat. The French introduced the baguette to French Indochina during the colonial period. The origin of the word comes most likely from the French: “pain de mie” which is a soft white bread.

One more Ninja tidbit

But, before I let you go, I want to tell you one more thing about the Ninja Cooking System. The Auto IQ Technology built into this appliance has more than 80 programmable recipes. The Auto IQ recipes are programmed to make a variety of quick meals in 30 minutes or less. There are also settings for grains, like quinoa and oatmeal, and poached infusions. Of course, this appliance is also great for fish, also slow cooker recipes, baking, steaming, and stove top. You will love this recipe book! If you want to order online you can use my code: ANALIDA15 to receive 15% off Ninja® Cooking System with Auto-iQ™ – good from now until Dec. 31

This is an awesome appliance that will make your meal time preparation so much easier and they are giving away 20 units between November 13 – December 31. You can enter to win below.

I hope you share this recipe for Vietnamese beef stew (bo sot vang) with your friends, and feel free to make any variations to the recipe. As I always say: ” A recipe is just a suggestion. “Bon Appetit!”

Thanks for your kind words Elaine. Yes, this is a great dish indeed. I told my friend Thanh that I have been receiving a lot of positive feedback on her recipe. She is delighted. The nice thing about star anise is that you only need a pod or so for each recipe. I get mine at Penzey’s.

I like the taste of star anise in stews and curries but of course always mixed and combined with other spices as well. The other day I was filming a recipe when I realized that I wasn’t using star anise enough in my cooking. I still have a whole bag full of this useful spice! Your Vietnamese stew will help me to enjoy star anise more. 🙂

It’s quite chilly outside and this stew would be a good warmer. I do have a slow cooker so this recipe wouldn’t be a problem. I think I’ll go check the freezer and see if I have some of the ingredients.

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Hi, I’m Analida

I have been researching and creating ethnic recipes for over 20 years. I love to share "mostly healthy" easy and affordable ethnic recipes using fresh ingredients, with a bit of culture and food history sprinkled in....
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